Electrical stimulation may be therapeutic in a variety of diseases and disorders. Leads used in electrical stimulation may be implanted within, adjacent to, or near a targeted area. In certain instances, the lead or leads may be arranged near nerves, muscles, or other tissue.
Dysfunction of the adrenomedullary system, or abnormal levels of catecholamines, such as norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, have been associated with symptoms including depression, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, migraines, orthostatic intolerance, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and other disease states. In addition, abnormal levels of L-dopa have been associated with degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Stimulation of the adrenal gland can release or block the release of catecholamines and/or modulate release of L-dopa directly into the bloodstream.
Preganglionic sympathetic axons of the splanchnic nerve terminate at chromaffin cells in the medulla of the adrenal glands. Two populations of chromaffin cells, one releasing epinephrine and one norepinephrine, demonstrate different innervation patterns. As a result, different stimulation patterns may be used to alter these levels independently to drive the abnormal levels of catecholamines toward normal levels thereby providing therapy and/or treatment for one or more of the various disease states associated therewith.